Vehicle door control method and system therefor

• US 8,567,129 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2006
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Shatai Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Shatai Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Suzuki, Shintaro, Machida, Toshio, Itami, Eiji, Morimitsu, Mizuho
• Primary Examiner(s): Strimbu, Gregory J.
• Application Number:
  US11/635,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20070132273A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,517 Days
• Field of Search: 49/29, 49/30, 49/32, 491/39, 492/79, 492/80, 493/60, 495/06, 491/40, 318/264, 318/265, 318/272, 318/446, 296/155, 296/146.4
• US Class Current: 49/506
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/20 for assisting final closing or for initiating opening
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/21 with means preventing or detecting pinching of objects or body parts
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/76 Detection of handle operation; Detection of a user approaching a handle; Electrical switching actions performed by door handles
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/40 for sliding doors
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/00 Power-operated mechanisms for wings motor-operated accessories in locks for completing closing or initiating opening of a wing E05B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/632 for horizontally-sliding wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/646 allowing or involving a secondary movement of the wing, e.g. rotational or transversal
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/70 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/22 Locks
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/246 by motors, magnets, springs or weights
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/434 Electromotors; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/68 Handles, cranks
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/854 Switches
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/856 Actuation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/41 Concealed
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/46 in or on the wing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors

Abstract

A vehicle door control method includes operating a vehicle door handle to disengage a door lock device of a vehicle door, beginning to count time upon the operation of the door handle, if the vehicle door has moved from a fully closed position after the door lock device has been disengaged, operating a power assist mechanism to move the vehicle door in an opening direction, if the vehicle door has not moved from the fully closed position, operating the power assist mechanism to urge the vehicle door to move in the opening direction, if the vehicle door moves while being urged by the power assist mechanism, the operation of the power assist mechanism is continued to move the vehicle door in the opening direction, if the vehicle door does not move while being urged by the power assist mechanism, the power assist mechanism is operated in a direction which urges the vehicle door to move to the fully closed position.

Claims

1. A vehicle door control method for a vehicle door which opens with power assistance from a power assist mechanism, the vehicle door comprising a manually operable door handle, the vehicle door control method comprising:

transmitting a mechanical motion of the door handle to a door lock device of the vehicle door to mechanically disengage the door lock device;

beginning to count time upon the mechanical motion the door handle;

if the vehicle door has moved from a fully closed position while the door lock device is the mechanically disengaged, driving a release actuator to keep the door lock device disengaged, and operating the power assist mechanism to move the vehicle door in an opening direction;

if the vehicle door has not moved from the fully closed position within a preset time period after the beginning to count time, operating the power assist mechanism to urge the vehicle door to move in the opening direction without driving the release actuator;

if the vehicle door has moved from the fully closed position by the operation of the power assist mechanism to urge the vehicle door to move in the opening direction without driving the release actuator, driving the release actuator to keep the door lock device disengaged and continuing the operation of operating the power assist mechanism to move the vehicle door in the opening direction,

if the vehicle door has not moved from the fully closed position within a predetermine time period despite the operation of the power assist mechanism to urge the vehicle door to move in the opening direction without driving the release actuator, the power assist mechanism is operated in a direction which urges the vehicle door to move to the fully closed position and the door lock device is moved to an engaged state.